The Peshawar High Court (PHC) asked the Mardan Central Prison’s (MCP) superintendent to submit a reply in response to a petition filed by an Indian national’s petition pertaining to his removal from solitary confinement in the jail.

The Indian national, Hamid Nehal Ansari, was awarded a sentence for involvement in anti-state activities and espionage by a Field General Court Martial in December 2015.

Qazi Mohammad Anwar, the petitioner’s counsel, argued that Ansari’s nationality could not be used as a reason to keep him in solitary confinement.

Anwar said that an earlier application of the same sort had also been filed and the authorities concerned had replied saying that since Ansari was an Indian national, he was to be treated as anti-state.

The federal government was represented by Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Mussaratullah Khan during the hearing.